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TD Ameritrade vs Charles Schwab

To help you find the Best Online Stock Brokers, TopConsumerReviews.com provides you with an in-depth comparison of TD Ameritrade and Charles Schwab.

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Who is the Best Online Stock Broker? Whether you consider yourself an avid investor or a beginner just starting to look into the stock market, it's easy to get overwhelmed by all of the stock trading options. Although some people still use traditional stock brokers, many people have found they can save a lot of money by trading stocks themselves.

Besides significant cost savings, another great advantage to executing your own transactions is that you can avoid the time and energy necessary to deal with "professional" stock brokers. Many of these individuals try to convince you to buy or sell stocks, because they earn a commission every time you make a transaction. With online stock brokers, you never have to talk to any salesmen.

Online Stock Broker Reviews

TD Ameritrade is the name to trust when it comes to affordable, easy-to-understand online stock trading. With more than 11 million funded client accounts and $1.2 trillion in total client assets, this online stock broker clearly has the expertise to help investors at all levels to make the transactions they want.

They start with one of the most straightforward pricing structures on the market: a flat fee of $6.95 for all online stock trades. If you're interested in other instruments like ETFs or futures, or if you need to execute your trade using TD Ameritrade's phone system or professional brokers, expect a different set of fees - all of which are clearly spelled out on their pricing page, with no surprises or hidden
costs.

Another big perk of using TD Ameritrade is their 60 days of no-fee trading. That lets you get a feel for their system at no cost to you, other than the price of the stocks themselves. At the time of our review, they were also offering a bonus of up to $600, depending on how much investors used to fund their accounts: $100 for accounts funded with $25,000 to $99,999, all the way up to $600 for those funded with
at least $250,000.

This online stock broker offers three platforms for interacting with their services:

Web: using your laptop or tablet, you can access independent third-party research, planning tools, and educational resources. You'll also get the latest financial news via Yahoo! Finance, along with social sentiment and volume that pulls insights from Twitter.

Mobile: if you want your choice of device-optimized mobile apps (including Apple Watch), access to the #1 trading app in the App Store, and the ability to manage investments/seize opportunities while on the go, this will be your preferred platform.

Thinkorswim: TD Ameritrade's professional-level platform is designed for serious traders who want onboarding tools to get started quickly, idea generation with market scans and ability to monitor possible risks/rewards, and elite-level tools that can test your strategies and perform multiple analyses.

Not sure which platform is right for you? You can get complimentary assistance from one of TD Ameritrade's platform specialists, through their toll-free number, who can help you get started. Each platform can be used free of charge. And, all of this brokers' assistance is available 24/7 by email; during regular business hours, you can also use their toll-free number and/or visit one of their 360+ branches nationwide.

TD Ameritrade is the top online stock broker available today - but don't just take our word for it. In 2018, they were recognized by Barron's as the first-place winner in multiple categories: Long-Term Investing, Usability, Novices, Option Traders (8 consecutive years), Investor Education (2 consecutive years), and five other categories. You'll find similar accolades regarding customer experience when looking
at a study done by Investor's Business Daily: there's just no other online stock broker that can compete with TD Ameritrade.

If you're looking for the industry's most accessible trading platform, affordable flat-fee pricing, and a wealth of knowledge and assistance, look no further than TD Ameritrade. They offer the highest value for your stock trading dollar and have earned our highest ranking among online stock brokers.

Charles Schwab is a full-service online stock broker, founded in 1971 and currently managing more than $2.6 trillion in investments for over nine million investors. Because Schwab also has 300+ brick-and-mortar locations, investors have more access to face-to-face advisors if they so choose.

You'll have a hard time finding another brokerage that is more accessible: Schwab offers round-the-clock customer service, every day of the year. Better yet, if you're looking for some basic investment help, you can get in touch with one of their representatives at no cost. On the other hand, if you want more personalized assistance, you can choose Schwab's Intelligent Portfolios or Managed Portfolios.

Schwab's online tools and platforms include the usual panorama of web/mobile trading and trading software, depending on your preference. If you use the software, StreetSmart Edge, you'll be able to customize your platform according to the criteria you need, including streaming real-time data and potential trade ideas. Customer feedback indicates that Schwab is a fantastic choice for almost every type of investor,
but active traders will probably find more robust options with one of the other online stock brokers in our review that specialize in that approach to buying and selling stocks.

Schwab's trading fees are average, at $4.95 per trade. Their required minimum investment of $1000 is more than many of their competitors.

On a positive note, Schwab is one of the only online stock brokers we found to offer a Satisfaction Guarantee. If, for some reason you're not 100% satisfied with their services, they will refund your fees/commissions and work with you to fix it.

Charles Schwab is an extremely reputable online stock broker and is an ideal fit for investors who want a one-stop shop for practically every investment type and service - though you might find lower investment minimums and per-trade fees with the competition.

And, of course, with fluctuations in the economy, and subsequent rises and falls in stock prices, some people panic and pull out significant investments - leaving the door wide open for others to take advantage of big opportunities to buy low and hopefully sell high later.

Of course, the best online stock brokers do have the option to work with a consultant if you choose. Especially if you're just starting to learn about investments, you may feel more comfortable knowing you can access an expert if the need arises. These services may be included, or you may have to pay for them a la carte.

So, when choosing the right online stock broker for your needs, how do you know which one is best? Before you jump in and start buying up your shares in Apple or Coca-Cola, here are some factors to keep in mind:

Information. From beginners to experts, having up-to-date information on the stock market is critical. What resources does the online stock broker have available to guide you in your decision-making?

Fees. When purchasing your stocks, will you be charged a percentage of your total buy or a flat fee? When the time comes to sell, what will you pay?

Reputation. What do other investors say about their experience buying and selling with the online stock broker? Have they had positive interactions with the broker when they've needed help? How many investors have chosen this particular broker's services?

TopConsumerReviews.com has reviewed and ranked the best online stock brokers available today. We hope this information helps you choose the right broker for your stock buying and trading needs!

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